Ferdinand has ‘genuine belief’ after naming huge Man Utd task facing Varane
Former Manchester United centre-back Rio Ferdinand believes that Raphael Varane has everything in his locker to impress in the Premier League.
Following a chase for the Real Madrid defender lasting several weeks, United are now close to signing him. Reports on Monday claimed that the two clubs have agreed a €50million (£42million) deal. Furthermore, the France international will reportedly have his medical in the coming days.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will hope Varane will add serious mettle to his defence. Indeed, captain Harry Maguire now has an impressive centre-back partner.
Varane has made 360 appearances for Madrid. He also played a significant role in three La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns.
However, Ferdinand feels anxious to see how Varane adapts amid his lack of English top-flight experience.
“On paper it looks a very, very good combination, but he’s got to understand the English game is very different,” Ferdinand told his FIVE YouTube channel. “You’ve got to go to Burnley and places like that.
“Sometimes it can be up and at ’em, a different style of football in the Premier League to anything he’s played in before.
“Can he deal with it? They’re the questions he’s going to get asked.”
Despite his lack of Premier League experience, Varane is a senior France international.
He has earned 79 caps, playing at the World Cup 2014 and France’s victorious 2018 edition, as well as at Euro 2020. As such, Ferdinand believes that Varane has the ability to adapt to English football.
Varane will impress Man Utd
“Balls getting wrapped around his ear holes, crosses from different angles that he hasn’t seen on a consistent basis in Spain where they play more on the floor, slower football, slower build up,” the pundit said of the experiences the player will face.
“So he’s going to be asked to defend in a different way and that’s where he’s going to have to show his real class, can he adapt? That”s the real question.
“I genuinely believe he’s got the tools to do that.”
United have already bolstered their attack in this summer’s transfer window. Jadon Sancho has arrived from Borussia Dortmund for £73million.
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